Crunch
by KSUnsungHero
Summary: Elliot saw her face go flush and his eyebrows receded into his thinning hairline in response. He chuckled once she realized what she’d gotten herself into.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Let me try this again. This is what happens when I don't have a beta. sigh I had an idea so I'm running with it. Enjoy ;) By the way, you should check out the Crunch classes, my inspiration for this story.

Olivia flopped back onto the hard mattress with a deep sigh. Damn she ached. Every muscle from her legs to her shoulders screamed in agony. She'd tried five minutes ago to pull herself into a sitting position, but the task seemed too daunting for her tired body. She now knew how those beetles felt, lying helpless on their backs. She didn't know how long she stayed here working up the desire to move.

"Liv?" Elliot peered his head into the dimly lit room. He squinted, trying to decipher if her eyes were open or closed. He lightly rapped on the door. "You awake?"

"Yeah. I think I'm stuck." She heard him near the cot and turned her head toward him. It was the only part of her that didn't hurt. Yet.

"You're going to have to help me out here." He studied the way her legs were flat on the blanket and how her arms rested limply on each side of her small frame.

"I switched gyms and had my free training session over lunch yesterday. God I hurt." She groaned and bit back a curse when his arm came down. She placed her thumb in his fist and let him pull her up. "I don't know how I made it up the stairs. I feel like someone hit me with a baseball bat."

"It'll get better. You're probably used to not working as hard." He walked a step or two behind her ready to reach down and grab her if she lost her balance. The way she was clutching the banister was slightly comical.

"I'm never going again. It's too damn expensive, anyway." She winced, feeling a sharp pain in her right hamstring. She walked on legs that ached, yet felt like jell-o. She wondered if that was how a baby cow felt upon taking its first steps in life. God, she needed drugs.

"Why'd you join a gym when you can use ours for free?" He slowed his strides, forgetting she wasn't able to keep up.

"My neighbor told me about the classes they have and I wanted to check it out. I can always cancel my membership, but I don't think I will. I like the change of scenery."

"What kind of classes?" Elliot saw her face go flush and his eyebrows receded into his thinning hairline in response. He chuckled as she realized what she'd gotten herself into.

"So you can give me a hard time? I don't think so, Elliot." She laughed, shaking her head. No way in hell. She hated how embarrassed she'd just gotten.

"We'll see." He took his seat behind the desk and watched her carefully lower herself into her chair. "Is it nearby?" Elliot clicked on the icon and waited for the browser to load.

"Well, one branch is. I go to another one in SoHo, though." She pulled a file from her inbox and began reading over her case notes.

"You go to SoHo." It sounded more like a question than anything. He wasn't sure how he'd meant it, really. He'd never known her to be so trendy. She dressed alright, he thought, but SoHo?

"Yes, Elliot, I go to SoHo. That surprises you?" She looked up from her folder, thoughtfully. "I guess I can see why it would. Sometimes it's nice to walk around and see how the other half lives. I hear the Mercer Kitchen is nice. I don't really get into art, but I enjoy walking around and looking at all the little galleries."

"The kids like Broadway." He typed in category he was looking for and narrowed the search down by the area. "Dickie's obsessed with Puma lately and Kathleen loves that they have not one, but two H&M stores."

"They have a better selection in Midtown." She felt somewhat angry that she was doing all the work. He still had a box full of messages, not to mention the case files he'd stuffed into his top drawer just so he didn't have to look at them anymore. "What are you doing?"

"I want to check something out before I forget. Eyes on your own paper, Liv." He grinned, mischievously, and clicked the search button. "I was thinking of getting a family plan for the kids. They get bored at home. I don't like the idea of them playing video games and watching television all the time."

"Daytime television is worthless." She scribbled her name onto the familiar dotted line and dated the form. "There's a fitness and defense class I bet the girls would like. The trainer I went to teaches that one."

"Yeah? Do you have his card?" Elliot tried not to smile. Getting information from her was too easy.

"Sure. I have his number in my phone. You can keep it." She rifled through her papers and handed it over. "He's freelance, I guess you could say. He doesn't really work for the gym; he just teaches there."

"Right. Thanks." Damn. Of course it wouldn't have the name of the gym. Not to be deterred, he went back to his computer. Aborting the current plan, he resorted to his trusty search engine. He stared at the screen, then back at her. She'd resumed her paperwork again, bless her heart. Gym classes? No…He tried to recall the trick his youngest girl had taught him. A shiver went through his spine at the thought of his baby girl falling victim to some online perv. He shook his head. He wasn't about to go down that road.

He stuck the quotes around the search criteria, and typed 'SoHo' directly after before hitting the enter button. He scanned the page and let his eyes fall on the first link. The description indicated that the facility offered classes in action sports, kickboxing, cardio, dance…and what? He clicked the underlined text and waited.

"Do you need some help?" Olivia observed her partner with a semi-amused expression. Whatever he was doing had him so engrossed he was oblivious to anything else around him. "Elliot?"

He tore his eyes from the two words on the screen. He felt her stare and slowly turned his head in her direction. It couldn't be. It took him a moment to recover. He took a sip of his tepid coffee, locked eyes with her, and spoke. "Yeah. I just thought I saw someone I knew on this offender's page."

"The look on your face…I'm glad it wasn't someone you knew." She reached across the desk and laid a gentle hand on his forearm. "Let me see your files. You've got enough messages over there to keep you busy for a while. I don't mind doing your paperwork, too. Just this once, though."

"Yeah, okay. Thanks, Liv." He plastered on a fake smile and caught the computer screen again with his peripheral vision. He quickly closed the window and hastily picked up the pink message slips.

"You should give him a call." Olivia nodded toward the white card on his desk. "I'm sure you could get a discount if Maureen and Kathleen took the class."

The class. Right. The reason she'd given him the card. He didn't live anywhere near the SoHo branch, but he could find a reason to be in the area. He could check out the machines, maybe tour the facility. After familiarizing himself with the layout, maybe wander over to the rooms, listening for that telltale music. Yeah, that sounded about right. He flipped the card over and jotted down the day and time quickly before opening his wallet and carefully placing it inside. "I will, thanks."

"Sure." She grabbed the files from his box and stacked hers on top.

For the next three hours, neither of them said a word. It was a comfortable silence, aside from a local news station calling for the 'inside scoop'. Olivia had gotten through half of her folders and the phone hadn't disturbed their work once. Silence was golden, she thought, as she realized they had yet to be sent on a call.

"Finally. I thought that guy would never shut up." Elliot resisted the urge to slam the phone down. "I hate the press."

"Well, I need a break. Want to go down the street and grab some lunch?" She stood up slowly, remembering to take it easy on her overworked muscles.

"Yeah, that sounds good." He grabbed his wallet and stuck it into his back pocket. As he followed her out, he stuck his hand out in front of her and held the door.

He had time to plan out how he would bring it up. The five minutes in line, the three minutes to wait for their order. He had plenty of time. He wondered how he should deliver the line. It had to be smooth, casual. He chose the perfect time, or so he'd thought. He wiped his hands off, set his napkin down, and cleared his throat. "So…pole dancing."

Olivia froze. The chicken wrap she'd just taken a bite out of somehow made its way down her throat. She felt her heart hammering in her chest. Her breaths were coming in uneven spurts as her oxygen-deprived lungs struggled to work. She saw his expression, his wide-eyed expression matching hers. He was calling her name, she thought. Her ears started to ring and she grew confused at why she couldn't hear him. He was standing, coming over quickly, crouching down in front of her. She nodded, although she wasn't sure what he'd asked.

"Fuck." Elliot grabbed her by the shoulders and spun her around. Where were the damn pictures when he needed them? Every goddamned restaurant should have a fucking picture. His hands were shaking, and he felt himself being pulled away. He stood there in shock as the cashier he'd been cursing at being so slow before came over and took his place. He held his breath, and he swore his heart stopped beating right then and there as she collapsed against the table. He sprang forward. He could see the worried, startled expressions on the patrons' faces.

A balding man in his fifties clapped a hand on Elliot's back and squeezed. "Sir, your girlfriend is okay."

Elliot nodded mutely, unable to speak. He was sweating, and could feel the rivulets of perspiration rolling down his face. He crouched down and took Olivia's clammy hands between his palms. Her eyes were filled with tears and her face was bright red. He did the only thing he knew to do. He held her against him as hard as he could. "You're okay. It's okay." He sniffed, his tears mixing with the moisture of having nearly lost her. Jesus, and it was all his fault. "I'm sorry, Liv. I'm so sorry."

Olivia willed her breathing to return to normal. Her throat felt scratchy. She inhaled slowly and pulled away as a cool glass of water was placed in front of her. She didn't trust her hands. They betrayed her the moment she reached out to grab it.

"I got it. I'll help you." Elliot held the cup firmly in his hands as her fingers gripped his tightly. He turned his wrist and let the liquid slosh to the side so that she could take a sip. He waited until she was finished, and set it back down.

"I need to get out of here." Olivia spoke, her words sounding unfamiliar. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "Can we just leave, please?"

"I think you need to get checked out first." Elliot heard the sounds of the customers as they began eating once again. He knew Olivia wanted nothing more than to get the hell out, but he couldn't help but think of the fact that he could have lost her.

"No, I'm okay. I'm just a little shaken up. Please?" She felt like a little girl asking permission to stay up just five more minutes.

"The minute you feel like something is wrong, you tell me." Against his better judgment, Elliot stood and reached for his wallet.

"It's on the house. I see you two here all the time. I don't know what kind of work you do, but it must be awfully important if you're always called out of here in the middle of a meal. You take care of that one, son." The gentleman smiled and stepped back as Elliot helped Olivia to stand.

"You sure you're okay?" Elliot kept a firm grip onto her elbow as they walked out of the diner.

"Yeah, I just felt a little lightheaded. I couldn't breathe. It scared the hell out of me." Olivia shook her head, her mind still reeling.

"Scared me, too. I'm sorry I almost killed you in there. I gotta' say it surprised me. I didn't think you'd be into that sort of thing." He ran a nervous hand through his hair.

"Well, I'm not embarrassed anymore." She chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. "I thought it was worth a try. Thought it'd be nice to feel like a woman again."

"Oh, you're definitely a woman, Liv. You don't see all the looks those guys give you?" He wondered when it became okay to broach certain subjects.

"Really?" She cocked her head to the side and stopped.

"Really." He grinned, enjoying the feeling of their relationship finally feeling right. He'd been so desperate to get back to how they were before, to find some semblance of how things were before the job changed them. "Ready to head back?"

"Yeah, I think I am." She began walking once again. "Hey, El?"

"Yeah, Liv?"

"Two words." She held up her index and middle fingers. "Strip Bar." She winked, and kept on walking. As she glanced over her shoulder, she couldn't help but laugh at his flustered appearance.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thank you all so much for your kind reviews. I was very flattered that you wanted me to continue. So, here's another chapter. I'm not sure if it'll go beyond this, but you never know.

The repetitive clink, the telltale sign of a virgin weight lifter could be heard as Elliot approached the bench his partner was hovering over. He slowed his steps, taking in the scene before him.

Clad in all too tight shorts and a V-neck tee with a collar that just barely showed the black sports bra underneath was Olivia Benson. The woman. And damn it if his own shorts didn't feel a little snug all of the sudden.

He'd witnessed countless workouts in the past, been a part of more than a few as he spotted her, partially blocking the padded bench in case any of their 'brothers in blue' developed a wondering eye. This time was different, though. Far from the safe confines of the precinct, he silently observed her in such a manner that made him feel like an asshole for watching and an even bigger one to be bothered by another man doing the very same thing.

He gritted his teeth as the scrawny-armed man continued to stare down the shirt of his oblivious partner. Each time she bent over, instructing the little prick as to where to put his hands, he got another peek down the collar of that damn bright orange piece of fabric that was thin enough to show that said sports bra had little to no padding.

He'd learned a thing or two from his kids. He didn't like to admit it, but he was schooled in that area, as much as a father of three girls could be. His wife had taught him a thing or two as well. So, yeah, he knew all about bras.

He saw right through Mr. Hedge Fund's act. The man wasn't an idiot. Dressed in his stupid tank top and matching track pants that still had creases from the length of time spent in the dresser; he was smart enough to catch on after the first rep. They were on the tenth one, and the little bastard had the audacity to question the distance between his shoulders and if they were far enough apart to 'maximize the effectiveness of the workout' knowing all the while that Elliot was onto his little act.

"Nope. Each time the bar touches, you have to start over." She smiled, her look questioning until she followed his gaze down to those beady little eyes. A sudden blush caressed her cheeks, something he'd seen her do a handful of times recently.

"Liv." He nodded, before glaring at the man on the bench. "What uh…whatcha' doin'?"

"Oh, I got here early and heard one hell of a racket. I thought I'd come check it out. His first time working out. I didn't tell him about my experience. Almost done, Chuck."

Chuck? Of course his name would be Chuck. Might as well be Milton, for all he cared. It reminded him of a movie Maureen made him watch one winter when she was home sick with the flu. He could think of a few things that could use stapling, starting with that shit-eating grin.

Almost done my ass. If that bar comes any closer to the…son of a bitch.

"…and back at one." Olivia grinned, enjoying every minute the man struggled beneath the weight of the bar. She'd added a few more pounds to each side, making whatever repetition they were really on that much harder. "Did you forget which gym to go to, El?"

"Well, Captain Cragen, you know, from the NYPD; he had to read me the riot act again. The usual, really." He smirked as the man on the bench suddenly sat up, depositing the bar back onto the frame. That's right, buddy. He rubbed the side of his temple and winked.

"Damn it. You didn't…you did, didn't you? I can't leave you alone for two minutes." Olivia bit her lower lip, trying to hide her smile.

"You know how I get with those scumbag perps, partner." He emphasized the last word and smiled. In all of two seconds the man fled from the room, all the while cursing and mumbling a half-hearted apology.

"That was mean, Elliot. Effective, but mean." She shook her head and wiped her hands on her towel before slinging it over her shoulder.

"I know," he smirked. "When's your class start?"

"About…twelve minutes. God I feel like I'm in high school. I do not miss those days." She ran her index finger down the glass and grinned.

"What now?" Elliot nudged her out of the way, letting her fingerprint be his guide. "Well, you'll have to go shopping."

"Hey, just because you've never seen me in a pair of stilettos doesn't mean I don't own any."

"Waste of money. You never wear 'em, Liv." Seeing her expression, he sighed. "I didn't mean it that way."

"Well, that killed the mood. I'll see you after class." She mustered a weak smile and walked off, leaving him to wonder why he had to be such a jackass sometimes.

He glanced down the hall as the music started. If he ever had any right at all to peek in on her workout, he'd just lost it. Gone was the banter and innocent ribbing. He'd chartered into dangerous territory, and he was the one sinking. Shaking his head, he wandered over to his own respective class.

On each side of the room were the participants. Each had his eye on the center of the room. He waited for the whistle and ran to where the colored balls were lined up. He grabbed one and, squeezing it ever so slightly, pulled his arm back. After finding his first target, he fired the ball as hard as he could. He was pissed off and someone was damned well going down.

Xxx

An hour later, Olivia emerged from the women's locker room. She'd managed to shower and change while Elliot did the same. Within minutes, she spotted him by the stairs.

"Hey." He held out a fresh bottle of water. "Peace offering."

"Thanks." She took a hefty swig and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "How was dodgeball?"

"It was good. I had fun. Next time the kids get into a fight I think I'll just bring them here and stick them in a room with rubber balls." He noticed how relaxed she seemed. He'd expected her to be upset with him. Hell, he had been angry enough for the both of them.

"Look, it's fine, okay? Don't worry about it. It's not like you weren't speaking the truth."

"Still, I didn't have to point out the obvious. Feel free to harp on my love life, or lack thereof."

Something about his expression prevented her from commenting on the relationship he'd had with his ex or any other ones. She could tell he was being overly cautious about choosing his words. While his comment had stung, it had been nothing but the cold, hard truth. She was in her forties and still single. Damn it if the wasn't a wake up call to get her ass in gear.

"You know who was in that class?" He'd completely forgotten the cameo appearance of Mr. Hedge Fund himself.

"Really?" Her eyebrows shot up into her hairline. "Did he stay for the whole thing? Maybe he had the wrong one."

"Nope. I thought the same thing. He's got a lousy arm. By the end of the class we were the only two still in."

"Oh, and I bet you could have taken him out at any time." She snorted before taking a small sip of water.

"I could have. I was strategizing, eliminating the competition first." Elliot stepped out into the street, his hand subconsciously going behind him to keep her back until the intersection was clear.

"Uh huh." She held back, waiting for the light to change.

"Watch where you're going." He grabbed her arm, pulling her closer to his body as a group of adolescent boys came barreling through to stop at the curb.

"Fuck you!" A kid no older than Dickie flipped him off before jogging across the street with his friends.

"Relax. I know you're about two seconds from chasing after them." She gently pried his white-knuckled grip off and rubbed the reddened flesh.

"Damn it." He shoved his left hand into his pocket while the other clutched the strap of his gym bag. "You okay?" He started out into the crosswalk as she trailed behind.

"Yeah. Thanks." She widened her stride to catch up.

"I guess it would have defeated the purpose of going to the gym if I had parked closer." He cocked his head to the side, trying to see in between two cars up the street. He couldn't remember which side he'd parked it on. In his haste to get to the gym on time, he'd just left it wherever it would fit.

"True. I try to walk whenever I can. It sort of balances the amount of time we have to sit around at work. I like the leg work. Some days, though, I just want to catch. I never can make up my mind." Olivia noticed his amused expression and laughed, glad that his mood had lightened. "Not a word."

"I wasn't going to say a thing. You're kind of paranoid, aren't you Liv?"

"Just keep walking. Your car's one block up." She pulled her Metro card out of her gym bag, suddenly remembering that it had expired and all she'd brought was her ID and pass.

"I'll give you a lift." He saw her worried expression. He wasn't about to make her walk all the way up to the Upper East Side. "You feel better after that workout?"

"I do, thanks. It was a good time. It's funny to see people lose their inhibitions and just let loose."

"What about you? Did you sprout a few wild hairs, Liv?"

"Maybe. Not really. I'm too safe. I just wanted to try the class out. It was sort of out of my comfort zone. Maybe if Casey had been there it would have been different. I think it's easier when you know someone else in the class." She waited for him to open the passenger door and tossed her bag in before leaning up against the car.

"First time for everything. Speaking of, I bet Chuck calls in sick tomorrow." He held his hand against him stomach as if he was about to vomit.

"Oh, he wasn't so bad. I should have been paying more attention. I knew he wasn't that stupid." She smiled slightly, blushing once again before gazing across the street beyond the buildings.

He let his bag drop to the ground and stood beside her, crossing his arms over his chest. As the sun set, it cast a soft glow on the side of her face. He glanced down at his shoes, absently kicking at imaginary pebbles as she turned his way.

"You think it'll rain tonight?" She locked eyes, letting him off the hook so he wouldn't feel so guilty about doing something she'd just been doing. She wondered when the sudden urge to study him so intently came about and why it didn't bother her that she wanted to.

"Is it supposed to?" Elliot cleared his throat, thankfully pardoned for the time being. He'd expected her to tell him to go fuck himself.

"I don't know. It looks like it could." She watched the soft, wispy clouds.

"Just because it looks like it could doesn't mean it will." He chuckled at her mock glare, glad for the fact that he hadn't ruined things between them, that one moment of stupidity on his part didn't screw everything up.

"Right, and you know this why?" She pushed off of the car and stretched her arms over her head.

"I'm just a wealth of information. You didn't know that? I was helping Maureen study for her Earthquakes and Natural Disasters test." He rubbed the side of his jaw, thoughtfully. "Different levels of the atmosphere have certain types of clouds and they all mean something. Those clouds are fair-weather clouds. I forget the name; just know that it's not going to rain."

"Oh, yeah, you're a wealth of information alright. I know it's not going to rain, I was just making conversation." She smirked, adding, "You know how _I_ know that? By watching the news."

"Smart ass." Elliot flexed his fingers, feeling the ache settle into his forearms. It had been a while since he'd participated in such juvenile games. Hell, it'd been years since he'd even thrown a baseball. "Get in the car."

"Only because I don't have it in me right now to jump the turnstile and it would be my luck to pick a station with a revolving door instead."

"Back in my beat days I saw many people try that who are now unable to have children, if you know what I mean." He winced, remembering one man in particular who had to be taken away on a stretcher.

"Ouch." She grabbed his bag and tossed it next to hers before getting in. "So, what's next week? They have a trampoline class."

"Oh, I was thinking a little Tutu Fresh."

She threw her head back in a fit of laughter as they both wiped their eyes. It was several minutes until he could see to drive.


End file.
